He Was Bored
by anyanka77
Summary: James Moriarty is bored. He's chased Sherlock from a distance after the fall and it's starting to get boring. He needs a distraction. - Thanks to coeurdetenebre, appreciation and freeminds4all for the love. More to come very soon. The fun is just starting :-)
1. Chapter 1

He was bored. More than bored. Sure it had been fun at first, watching his foil snip the threads of his web ahead of him as he slowly spun an even more elaborate design behind him, but now, it was getting tiresome. He needed something to take the edge of the ordinary work of his extraordinary existence. It was time to find a new distraction. A new pet.

It had taken him no time at all to plot how to ruin the world's only consulting detective and he had actually been a little pleased to see that while the plan should have worked, did technically work, it was also a failure. A failure that let him chase and scheme and follow his unworthy obsession across Europe. Well figuratively, James Moriarty couldn't be seen in Europe just yet. Too many chances for someone to be an idiot and point out that he was in fact, not dead. So he settled for America. Horrifying as that was.

Chicago to be exact. Lovely city. Bustling and crowded but also oddly slower paced and quiet, and such a glorious history of criminal wonders. The city positively oozed corruption and sin. Keep "Sin City" and "The City That Never Sleeps". If he couldn't be in London, in his home, he was more than happy to bask in the glorious underbelly of the Windy City.

But after two years. He was getting bored. Too bored. Dangerously bored. That kind of boredom could make even the cleverest of men stupid. He needed… something.

It only took him moments to spot her, he'd seen her a couple of times already and had registered that she was intriguing, but ordinary. He could tell she had been intrigued too. Her intense and oddly fascinating eyes grabbing chaste looks at him every time they happened to be at this same coffee shop at the same time. He came for the scones and relative silence. He was beginning to think she came for him.

Who should he be this time? Sweet and kind Jim? Shy and damaged Rich? Someone new? Dark and intense and thrilling? Safe and ordinary? So many delightful options. Part of him just wanted to be himself to watch her tense, watch as her eyes went wide and he make the blood in her veins run cold. Not yet though, that would come soon enough.

ooOOoo

She glanced over her laptop, taking a pause from the images she was constricting on her screen, to look at the man across the room, feeling eyes on her and prickling a little. He was always there it seemed. Every time she came down to the coffee shop to work rather than sit in her apartment and stare at the screen for hours as if it were her only lifeline. When she moved to the city to work as a freelance designer, she thought there would be a touch of glamour and mystery to being a single girl in a big city. The after effects of one too many romantic comedies she figured. Alas, that was not her life. Her life, was staring at a screen for hour a day when she had work, and staring at her phone for hours a day when she did not. It was… boring. But he wasn't.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was about him. The first time she saw him she barely registered his existence. He was decently looking, if not a bit too proper in crisp jeans and a button up, but that was a dime a dozen in this neighborhood. Here men were either crisply dressed business men starting the long trudge into dignified careers or questionably ironic hipsters who needed a shave and a slap. He fell into the former she assumed. A man who would drone on about his education and his life plan and where he saw himself in the next five years. Oh god, never mind, back to work. She didn't need a boring distraction in her life. Her life was enough of a boring distraction on its own.

It wasn't until the third time she saw him there that she really started to notice him. Why was he always there? Same crispness, odd darkness about him, same unnerving looks that she would glance up and see over her laptop. He was good looking. In an odd way. Maybe he wasn't what she had assumed. Maybe she was just being jaded and judgmental. Maybe she should stop staring since he is walking over.

ooOOoo

He opted for a scaled back version of himself. Why not test the water and see how this little one reacted to the thrum of underlying menace. This should be fun.

"Excuse me?" He purred, letting the odd lilt of his voice hit her with just two words. From the couple of one off trysts he had had while in this city, he knew girls just loved a man with an "accent".

She suddenly seemed engrossed in her laptop, afraid to look up at him. "Yes?"

"You were starting."

Her head finally popped up at the accusation. She had in fact, not been staring, she was returning the unsettling look he has been giving her since she walked in. Part of her wanted to just tear him in two, shatter the weird veneer of confidence that he strode over with and show him that she was not a random girl to pick up at a coffee shop. She would have, she should have, but something in the eyes she lock on when her head popped up instantly told her that would end badly. Dangerously badly. So instead she muttered and lied. "Sorry, thought you were someone else."

He practically oozed into the seat next to her, adding to the menacing tension. "Don't lie." He leaned in, speaking barely above a whisper. Almost instantly her mouth went dry and she snapped back to her screen, taking a quick sip before muttering.

"I felt you looking at me again and I looked up. Sorry."

A devilishly sweet yet shark like grin slid across his face. "Good, you noticed. I'm James." Extending a hand in between her and the screen she was now pretending to be incredibly fascinated by, "And you are?"

She sighed softly, and shook his hand, nervous, but finding the fortitude to be honest, "I'm Kate, and not to be rude, but I kinda need to get this done and don't want to be hit on."

He let out a wry chuckle. "Wasn't hitting on you. Just being friendly, I'll just leave you to it then… Good day, Kate."

He didn't have to look back to know she was watching him now as he strode across the room to grab his coat and leave, he had all the information he needed from that short conversation. She was going to be a fun distraction. Now he just had to put his plan into action.

ooOOoo

He settled into his chair, gliding his finger across the screen of his laptop as he did. A few quick keystrokes and he had what he needed, "Kate" as she introduced herself was actually Mary Katherine Johnston, a freelance graphic artist and designer, unattached from everything he could glean from his research and a transplant to the city from a small town in the middle of nowhere that missed her about as much as she missed it. He clapped softly to himself. She was almost too perfect. Just the type of girl that disappeared all the time with no one noticing. Perfect.

Two phone calls later and her fate was sealed. She was going to be his new pet.

ooOOoo

Kate dropped her bag in the chair just inside the door of her apartment and rolled her neck. The job was done and sent and now, with no other work on her books, she rolled her neck and headed to the fridge for a bottle of water with happy thoughts of Netflix dancing in her head. She had only taken one step into the kitchen when the hand grabbed her, wrenching her wrist up behind her back and smashing her to the wall, pressing her there under his weight and popping her shoulder out of the socket before she could even scream. The blinding heat in her shoulder and wrist were the last thing she felt before stars danced in her eyes and everything went dark.

ooOOoo

Everything hurt. That was the only thing that registered as Kate slowly tried to open her eyes. Everything. Hurt. She panicked and sat up quickly, immediately regretting it. The room spun around her and she felt a wave of nausea before falling backward again. Into someone's arms.

"Careful now, Darling, Don't need a concussion from smashing your head into the wall on top of all this." She felt herself being slowly lowered to a pillow. She also, recognized the voice.

"James?" She croaked, suddenly aware that she could barely speak and her throat burned with glass and fire.

"Shhh, quiet Darling, Daddy's turn to talk." He placed a finger on her lips gently as she opened her eyes again, feeling the panic resurge and trying again to get up, fruitlessly, as he pressed her shoulder to the bed and she let out a strangled scream as the pain shot through her. "You're in no condition to start running Darling. Sorry about that, my boys got a little rougher than I had intended." He traced his finger along her cheek. "Don't worry, that misjudgment won't go unpunished, but for now, we need to get you taken care of." He stepped away and she shifted again, trying to follow his movement and just being, yet again, greeted by a fresh flame of pain. What had happened? Her questions were answered by a lovely young woman at her side, gently probing and making her wince, Kate squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip. The woman's voice and hands shook as she checked Kate over.

"Sh-she has a dislocated shoulder, a sprained wrist, a-at least two broken ribs—" Kate winced at the touch to her side. "S-Sorry!" The woman tensed and moved with and even lighter touch, Kate opened her eyes to see that James was standing directly behind the woman, crowding her and staring down with a look that would stop a lion in its tracks.

"What else?" He asked in a hiss, his jaw tight.

"Sh- Th- there is—" The woman swallowed a dry lump. "There are signs that she was choked, probably with a forearm across the throat, which explains why she sounds so hoarse, an-and o-other tr-trauma, the bruising on her legs woul-would sugges—Oh God" The woman tensed and fell silent, Kate could see his hands were in her hair now, yanking her back to look into his eyes. His electric, dark, menacing eyes.

"What. Did. They. Do?" He snarled into her face. This was not what he wanted, he wanted her picked up, and a little battered to make it easier to make her compliant, but generally in one piece to him to break apart. This, was not what he wanted at all.

The woman started crying as he wrenched her back, Kate again felt the surge or fear and panic through the pain, trying to process the words floating around her, her brain scrambled. _Bruising on her legs would suggest… _Oh God. Realization dawn on her face at the same time as James' and tears leaked from her eyes.

James tore from the room like a hurricane, shouting back to the woman. "Tend to her, NOW!"

A tender hand stroked Kate's hair back gently. "I'm so sorry, th-this is going to hurt." The woman's hands moved to Kate's arm and in a blinding pop, Kate was out again.

ooOOoo

Kate snapped awake to the sound of James, leaning in and whispering, "Are you awake Darling? I need you to wake up now. You need to see this."

"Good, you're awake. Let's sit you up now." He slid an arm under her shoulders and eased her up. She expected a fresh wave of pain to flow through her but instead, she felt, well, quite wonderful, actually. He positioned her gently against the headboard and she could now see why she didn't feel all the damage, the IV in her arm was dripping a delightful blend of drugs steadily into her system. Moving away from the IV, she saw what he was sitting her up for, at the foot of the bed, two men were on their knees, looking at the floor, with two others behind them. Each had a gun pointed squarely at the back of the other men's heads. James shifted carefully and gracefully off the bed and moved behind the men.

"You see my darling Kate, I would be lying if said I hadn't meant for them to hurt you. I needed them to hurt you, but not like this." He took the gun from the nearest man's hand and without flinching shot the man on his knees in the back of the head, watching Kate as the man fell forward. Kate gasped and started to shake, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. James was at her side almost instantly, slamming the gun to the chest of the man he has taken it from and gliding onto the bed next to her to pull her to him, stroking her hair gently. "Shh, Shh, It's okay Darling, he hurt you. He hurt my Kate. Don't be scared. He pulled her closer and nodded to the other man. With a sharp pop and thud, the other was dispatched. Kate screamed into him. "Shhh Shhh It's okay," He put his hands on either side of her face and locked his eyes on hers. Cold possession locked on fear and panic. "No one touches what is mine."


	2. Chapter 2

"Out." He doesn't look up from her eyes as the men left the room, leaving the two corpses to bleed on the floor. She was shaking and sniffling; her eyes rimmed in red and tears. His thumbs stroked her cheeks. "You are mine now, Kate." A chill runs through her at the emotionlessness in his voice. She tries to pull back and his fingers curl, holding her head still in place, forcing her to stare into depth of this deadly eyes. "Say it."

A strangled sob comes from her lips. Nothing more.

"SAY IT!" His hands pressing in as she gasps and starts at the sudden burst of aggression.

It came out as barely a whisper, followed by a flood of tears. "I am yours."

"Good, rest." He quickly released her head, standing and smoothing himself as he strides out of the room. He motions and turns left and she sees him followed by the two men. Kate eases herself back down to the bed, curling on her side, staring at the open empty door.

She closes her eyes and tries to steady her breath, but all she can smell was blood.

There was no comfort here. She had no idea how long she stared at the door. Afraid to move, feeling the effects of the drugs slowly ebbing away and leaving a soft buzz of pain to crawl under her skin. Her mind racing and careening out of control. She wondered how long she could last. How long it would be before she was a body on the floor as James casual strolled away. If she had anything left in her she would have started to cry again, but she was drained. Exhausted and sore. Desperate to run but tethered to the bed by pain and fear.

Then a wave of something more frightening washed over her. She hated it, but she wanted him to come back. She needed someone to come back and help her.

Steeling herself, she pulled herself to sit, then turn and slowly lower her feet to the floor. She had no idea where she was but she knew she had to get out of this room and away from the death. She winced, pulled the IV from her arm and began the slow but determined walk to the door. She refused to look back, not wanting to see the blood and death behind her.

With slow labored breaths she pulled herself down the hall. Searching for any clue how to get out of the giant apartment she found herself in. If she had not been nearly blind with pain and fear, she would have seen the beauty, the lush design and rich tones, but all she saw was more walls and doors and no way out. She leaned against the wall, holding her arm and side, panting with the exertion of what felt like a marathon through a maze but had just been a short stretch of hallway.

The door popped open across from her as she started to slide helpless down the wall. "Why are you out of bed, Darling?" He crouched quickly beside her, looking her over, his eyes unreadable. "I told you to rest."

She drew in a shallow, shaky breath, "They're still in there."

He grabs her chin and rests his forehead against hers. "I need you to understand some things, Darling." His eyes roll up to hers, boring into her. "When people don't listen to me, I get unhappy. When I get unhappy, the people who don't listen to me get hurt. You don't want me to hurt you, do you Kate?"

Her body tensed as he spoke, trying to pull away. "N-no."

"They didn't listen to me, Kate. They made me unhappy. I hurt them." His grip tightened on her chin. Eyes burning into her. "Are you listening to me Kate?"

"Y-Yes." She tried to keep her voice calm, not wanting to taunt the beast. Her breath in short even sighs.

"Mary Katharine, Don't lie." He rolled his head side to side, eyes closing, foreheads still pressed together. "No, no, no, you aren't listening and you lie and lie. You try to run from me, you say what you think I want to hear thinking I don't know you're LYING." He pulls her head back and squeaks. "I don't want to hurt you Kate, but you're making me unhappy. What happens when you make me unhappy, Kate? Tell me. You're listening? Tell ME!"

She takes a labored breath as he winds his hand deeper in her hair. "When I—make you unhappy—you hurt me."

He lets go of her hair, still holding her eyes to his. "What did I tell you to do?"

"Rest."

He releases her chin and pulls her up to her feet. "Good. Now, you need to rest."

She tensed up as he starts to walk her toward the room again. "I—I can't. They're – still – still in there."

"I know, Darling. They're there so understand I am serious about all of this Kate." He eased her toward the bed and clicked his tongue at her discarded IV "You needed this." He moved it slowly out of the way and shucked back the covers, lowering her delicately into the bed and tucking he covers around her. "I don't want to hurt you Kate. I want to keep you safe, but if you keep lying and lying and fighting and fighting." He paced to the end of the bed and lightly kicked one of the corpses. "Understand."

She closed her eyes and took another shaky breath. "Yes."

A sweet smile spread across his face. "Good." He walked out the room like nothing had happened. "I'll send the nurse to tend to you. Rest."

Kate curled into a ball and resumed crying. Who knew she even had tears left.

ooOOoo

It was a steady campaign after that. Learning what made him be cruel and what made him be kind.

She was coming to terms quickly with the fact that there were now only three constants in her life. James, his moods, and Ana, her nurse.

At least she had Ana. She was making things a little easier.

"You're healing nicely." The young nurse smiled at Kate, checking her wrist and shoulder. Lowering her voice to a whisper. "Has he hurt you?"

Kate just shook her head. She had been careful and lucky. She was staring to learn the game. Do what James says, don't try to trick him, and don't get hurt or worse. Easy.

"If he hurts you, tell me, please." She leaned in close, urgent. "You're almost better and I can get you help, but I need to know if he hurts you. It will take time but if you're in real dang—"

"Now look at this cozy little scene." James was leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed. A flash in his eyes that told Kate that nothing good could come of this.

"Just—tending to her like you told me to, Sir."

"Tsk tsk Ana, I don't like being lied to." He crossed to them in a heartbeat. "Kate, my darling, how are you feeling? Better? Good. Ana, come with me."

Kate's eyes went wide. "James, please. I didn't. She didn't. I'm sorry." Her voice was barely a whisper, she was learning, she knew what the dead look in his eyes meant in this moment. Ana was not safe.

"Now, now my darling," He reached over to pat her knee almost tenderly, "don't make this harder. It's time to say good bye to your little cohort."

"Please, I'm sorry!"

James took Ana by the elbow and steered her out of the room, looking back at Kate over his shoulder. "We'll discuss this later, Mary Katharine. Now SHUSH!" And with that command, he was out of the room with the one connection to something tender Kate had.

ooOOoo

"So, Ana – "He pressed her into the chair opposite his desk, digging his fingers into her shoulders. "Telling my Katie pretty little lies? You're going to save her? Why on earth do you think she needs saved? She is perfectly safe. No one can take care of her better than I can." He continued the death grip on her shoulders, pinning her into her seat.

Suddenly brave, Ana stayed cool. "I am pretty sure you are the least safe person in the world, James. I agreed to help you because I swallowed your lies about her being hurt working for you. Why are you doing this?"

He released her and moved before her, leaning on his desk. "Because I can. I am a man who gets what he wants Ana. A man who eliminates the obstacles to what he wants. You, little nurse-y, are an obstacle. Your services are no longer needed."

Ana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Feeling the panic rise in her throat, knowing what happens when James decides he no longer needs your service. "I'm sorry James. I'll leave, I'll go and I won't say anything. I swear." She watched his eyes go to the door behind her, seeing the two large men enter and move closer. "Please, James."

They took her by the arms and she let out a shriek. "Bye bye now." He waved as they dragged her out the door.

ooOOoo

Katie heard the shriek and struggles and rushed back to the bed, burying her face into the pillows. James' words from the first night in her head. _No one touches what is mine. _Poor Ana, she came too close, she touched the part of Ana that James most feared, she touched the part of Kate that still believed she would get out of this alive.


	3. Chapter 3

Time started to blend together. Kate couldn't say how long she had been there. She was never allowed to leave and she had stopped counting the days early on, never knowing how long she slept, many times sleeping off the drugs she was sure were slipped into her food.

She was starting to settle into a routine of self-soothing and avoidance. She tried to keep to her room, even though it was depressing and lonely. She craved the company of other people, but all there was, was James. She would hear others coming and going, occasionally sneaking out to try to make contact with someone, anyone. To her dismay James always seemed to squash that. Sharp snaps of "Room Mary Katharine!" when she would creep into the hall to see who was coming in, making her shrink back and close the door, disheartened.

At least it felt like James was starting to really care for her. In the beginning, everything was a threat. Everything was two options, behave, or die. However, over the, weeks, months, whatever it had been, who knew anymore, when she wasn't hiding or trying to sneak out to talk to someone, James treated her fairly. There were still times when he would snap and lash out, but the span of time between those moments were becoming longer and the times when he would be sweet and treat her like she was his world were growing longer and more frequent. Under different circumstances, one could almost say it felt like they were falling in love.

When she woke that morning, she was feeling light, the night before had been different and lovely, rather than spending the night alone, curled in her bed and reading alone, James had pulled her with him and settled into the couch to watch TV. She was uncomfortable at first, not used to physical contact with him that wasn't ominous or painful. This was gentle and sweet, he just held her. They barely spoke but it was nice. She didn't remember falling asleep against him, but she soon realized as she was waking up, that she was not in her room, but instead it a larger, more ornately decorated bedroom, with her head on his chest.

He smiled and scrubbed the sleep off his face, looking down at her. "Good Morning, Darling, you nodded off on our little date and it just made me want to keep holding you." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and slowly slipped from underneath her. "Now, my darling, it's time for breakfast. Come now."

She obeyed and followed, as was becoming her way of life. Obeying and following. But this still felt different, pulling her almost playfully by the hand into the kitchen and plopping her down on a stool and kissing her temple. If she let her mind relax, this felt wonderful. He began to busy himself preparing food, humming softly and occasionally smiling back at her and sending an odd flutter through her. He set a bowl of strawberries in front of her and handed one to her "Eat." She nibbled and continued to watch, smiling at the slight man buzzing around the giant kitchen in his pajama pants, making eggs, acting delightfully domestic. Why did this feel so normal? It felt, right.

"James?" Kate finally whispered feeling a clench in her stomach at what she was about to say him, the underlying fear that usually trickled through every interaction they had still humming very softly in the background, but a new glow overshadowing it, a glow that started spreading from the night before while she was wrapped in his arms. "Do—Do you love me?"

He turned languidly and leaned over the counter to kiss her softly on the cheek before going back to his work. "Of course."

She sighed softly. Soothed by this and soldiered on. "Why?" Tears pricked her eye, she had no idea why she was so afraid he would say no.

He laughed gently and didn't turn "Because you're mine."

She gently wiped her eyes as he turned around to set juice in front of her. He quietly tutted and patted her hand, seeing the tears. "None of that now, darling." Raising her hand to place a soft kiss on it before yet again going back to cooking. He voice was so soft she almost didn't hear it. "Do you love me?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "What?"

He still didn't turn, but cleared his throat and asked louder. "Do you love me?"

She opened and closed her mouth slowly, feeling an odd shiver and thrill as the mantra he'd made her repeat so many times since she was first taken, slipped from her mouth automatically. "I'm yours."

He chuckled softly, "Such a good girl, but that's not I asked you." He turned around slowly, prowling toward her. "Do you love me?" Her throat went dry as he stalked her like a wild beast. "Answer me, Mary Katharine."

She tensed hearing the name he only used when she was being bad. It instantly sent her into a string of babbling apology. "I'm sorry, James. I'm sorry. I'll answer. I'm sorry. I love you." It was out of her mouth before she even realized she'd said it. He was against her back now, arms around her waist, spinning her toward him to look into her eyes, an almost sickening mix of glee and menace in them.

"Calm down, Kate. Deep breath. I didn't mean to startle you." His arms caged her between him and the counter. "Kate, my darling Kate, Do you love me?"

Her breathing settled and she looked deeply into his eyes. Startling herself a bit as the answer slipped from her lips and she knew it was true. "I love you, James." He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before leaning back with a smile and finishing cooking.

"Good."

ooOOoo

And that was how they got to where they were now. Kate, wild eyed and excited to be flying with him back to his home in London. Nuzzling him on the plane and giggling at the excitement of it all.

"You're chipper this morning, my darling. What's gotten into you?" Patting her hand pulling her away just a bit. He needed to focus.

"I've never been on a plane." She blushed and covered her face, laughing into her hands. "Is that stupid."

"Never stupid, but calm down now, Daddy needs to focus."

"I'm sorry." She settled her head on his shoulder. "Do they know you're coming back?"

"I think they got the message." He chuckled darkly at his image on the screen in front of them. "I think they missed me."


	4. Chapter 4

Sherlock disembarked the plane and was ushered into the waiting car. "We need to get to Bart's. Now!" Was all he said before staring now the window in silence.

ooOOoo

Molly gasped and ran toward the door. The video droning in the background and sending pure terror through her. Something told her she needed to find a safe place. She pulled out her cellphone and with shaking hands trying to figure out who to call. With a mighty thunk she ran headlong into the door as it swung open and she crumpled to floor, scrambling for her phone and rubbing her throbbing face.

"Sorry, sorry, I just, I need to get by please." Molly started to right herself looking up at the slender wide eyed girl in the door.

"Molly Hooper?" Kate slid into the room with a maniacal grace. "He said you were cute."

"Yes, what, thank you, who?" The words rushed out of her mouth, half ignoring the girl and backing up a little as she continues to look for her phone. Kate spies it first and picks it up, flipping it casually in her hand.

"James. He said you were a cute little mouse." She advanced on the now stammering young pathologist. "Was that all it took to let him slither between your thighs Molly?" She had her pressed to the table now, her mouth right up against her ear, slipping a loose strand of hair behind the tense girl's ear. Molly patted behind her back, for once glad she had not had the chance to tidy. Her palm curling around a scalpel.

"He told me all about you. I think he wanted to make me jealous." Kate pressed her temple to Molly's, feeling the tension radiating off the girl.

"Who are you?" Molly whispered, putting on a brave shell and squeezing the tool so hard in her hand it was digging it.

Kate shot back, a look of mock surprise and horror on her face. "Oh my goodness, I'm being rude! I'm Mary Katharine." She extended her hand out to the girl, a wicked grin oozing across her face. Molly took the window to try to break free, quickly swinging the blade at the girl.

"Ah, ah, ah." Kate scolded, grabbing Molly by the wrist quickly and stripping the scalpel from her hand from below, the blade slicing down the palm as it slipped out of Molly's sweaty grasp. She shrieked in pain and curled her arm to her chest, clenching her now bloody fist closed tight.

"Now look what you did!?" Kate shouted grabbed the injured arm. "I'm going to get into such trouble for this." She seethed. "Daddy told me not to hurt the mouse." Her eyes scoured the room around her, dragging Molly behind her forcefully by the wrist. Blood leaving a trail wherever they walked. She found a roll of gauze and began to wrap it quickly around the cut, leaving a gentle kiss on the bandage after the tucked in the loose end. "There, all better. The little mouse is all better now. All better. Don't tell Daddy." She was stammering with panic.

Molly was scared and confused. "I won't, please. Y-you don't have to do this." Pulling at her wrist and trying to twist free.

Kate spun her in and had Molly pinned against her now. "It's okay little mouse-y. Daddy just wants to talk."

They walked out of the lab and toward the elevators. Heading to the roof.

ooOOoo

Sherlock burst into the lab, John and Mary in tow. His eyes scanning the scene quickly, fists and jaw clenched tight. He saw blood and knelt down. His voice steely, dark, and calm. "John, get Mary out of here. He has Molly."

Mary gasped and moved closer to John. The soldier steeled himself. "What can I do?"

Sherlock rose and swept out of the room, talking over his shoulder, "Get your wife out of here. I have to find Molly."

He wasn't sure why, but he knew this was all going to play out where it started. On the roof.

ooOOoo

The scene was all too familiar as he opened the door. His nemesis sat of the ledge, in a crisp tailored suit, looking bored and menacing in equal measure.

"So here we are again. Death was so boring." Sherlock didn't wait for the usual maniacal babble, he stormed to the ledge and grabbed James by the lapels, pushing backwards making the madman teeter on the edge. James just laughed.

"Now, now, if you push me off you'll never find little Miss Hooper."

Sherlock released him and stepped back, pacing like a caged animal.

"Wow," James teased, tilting his head to the side, "who knew you cared so much about your little pathologist."

"Where is she?" Sherlock leveled himself, keeping his voice calm.

"Awe, you don't want to catch up first?" James straightened himself and paced over to Sherlock, walking in a lazy circle. "So much has happened. Don't you even wonder how I am here? I mean, the last time we had a date up here on the roof—"He grabbed Sherlock's hand and put his own fingers in his mouth and pretended to shoot and fall backward. "Good times."

"Where. Is. Molly." Sherlock asked again, shaking loose from James' grip and stepping back, pulling the gun from his pocket and placing it squarely to James' forehead. James just laughed. "If you've been paying attention, you'll know I have no problem shooting someone in the head if they are a threat to my friends. So I will ask one more time. Where is Molly?"

James snapped his fingers and turned to look to his right as Kate walked Molly out from where they had been concealed. Sherlock looked over to see the two women. Molly with a gun to her temple.

"So, now that you see she is safe in the arms of my lovely wife. Can we talk?" James asked gently pushing the gun from his forehead with two fingers.

"Wife?" Sherlock asked, turning back and repositioning the gun.

The woman spoke, "Mary Katharine Moriarty. Pleasure."


	5. Chapter 5

A short one, but it needed to get out... more soon :)

-

Sherlock's eyes bore into James. "So you've gotten tied down? Have sentimental thoughts of being some kind of morbid Bonnie and Clyde, have you?"

James smiles up at him before walking toward the women, Sherlock's gun trained on his every move. "Are you Bonny Kate? Sometimes Kate the curst, but Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate Hall, my super dainty Kate." He slides behind the two, pressing a kiss to Kate's cheek as she tightened her grip on Molly and pressed the barrel more intently into the mewling girl's temple.

He paced fully around them now, noticing the pathologist's hand, the gauze soaked in blood, held in a death grip to her midsection by Kate. His look sliding from whimsical mocking to something more cold and dark. "Mary Katharine? What did Daddy say about hurting the mouse?"

Kate started to pout, looking every bit like a naughty child. "She started it."

"What did Daddy say about hurting the mouse?" He asked again, jaw tense, his words dripping with such darkness, making Kate's eyes go wide.

"Don't hurt the mouse." Kate repeated with the same cold darkness.

"We'll talk about this later Mary Katharine."

Sherlock edged closer as they spoke. Eyes flicking to Molly's to make sure she was okay. "If you are done having your little domestic—"He pressed the gun to the back of his head this time. "Let her go."

James spun around, knocking the gun aside. "Will you stop with that, you're not going to shoot me, if you do Kate will shoot Molly and we all know you won't let that happen. Stop showing off." Sherlock lowered the gun, holding it down at his side. "You really take all the fun out of the game sometimes Sherlock." James turned back to the women. "I think it's time to go home Kate. Spoil sport here doesn't want to play right now."

Molly whimpered softly, her eyes locked on Sherlock as the trio turned and moved toward the door. James snapped his fingers finally and Kate lowered the gun and spun Molly out from her, letting the shocked girl fall to her knees by the door, shaking. Sherlock was at her side, looking at her hand and muttering softly as the other pair moved down the stairs and out of sight. "I'm sorry, Molly."

"It's okay. It's not as bad as it looks, but Sherlock," she felt a rush of daring under the ebbing fear. Resting her uninjured hand briefly on his cheek. "You have to stop him. That girl, I don't know what he did to her, but you have to stop him. No one is safe with him here and I think that girl is just making that worse. He will burn the world for her."

"I know."


	6. Chapter 6

(Another short one, the plot thickens. More to come after work)

James rushed them down the stairs and into an elevator. Smashing the basement button as he spun her inside until she was against the back wall, making her giggle.

He prowled over to her, pressing her to the wall with his body and kissing her with such fire is burned all the breath from her body.

Breaking the kiss he rolled next to her and took her hand into his again. "Now, Mary Katharine – What happened with the mouse?" The doors dinged open and he strode with her toward the pathology lab. Katie tensed. Sputtering her reply as he dragged her behind him

"She was a big brave mouse and tried to cut me with a scalpel. I just took it away from her. I didn't mean to hurt her I swear." He stalked room and found the mess and blood.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head "But you still hurt her Mary Katharine." He pulled her in very close digging his fingers into her wrist. "I told you not to and you did. You know what happens." He release her wrist and stepped away briefly as she started to sniff, knowing that was coming.

She mumbled in barely a whisper, her eyes pressing shut and holding her hand in place where he left it. "When people don't listen to you, you get unhappy. When you get unhappy, the people who don't listen get hurt." Another mantra in her world. The worlds flowing from her with an ease born of repetition. She steeled herself as he walked back to her, scalpel in hand.

She tried not to cry or wince as she felt him hold her hand palm up and with eerie grace, lightly ran a blade over her palm. Mirroring the injury she had accidentally inflicted on the other girl. Her eyes popped open at the sharp sting and she stared down and the thin line of red blossoming on her palm. "I'm sorry."

He kissed just above the cut and set to wrapping her hand gently. "I know."

Wrapping her into his arms, they walked away together, her head nestled in the crook of his neck as they walked. She felt forgiven.

ooOOoo

John hadn't listened. Mary huddled to him in the lobby of the large hospital shivering as he talked away on his phone.

"When we got to the lab, she wasn't there. He ran off in a flutter or bravado and coat and – yeah I don't know" He rubbed his face and pulled Mary in closer. "Yes, we will, I see the car now."

He felt Mary tense at his side and followed her eyes, seeing James stroll through the lobby with a girl he did not know under his arm. He lurched a little and Mary stopped him with a hand to his chest. "John, don't, we have to find Sher—"her words stopped as the girl turned and caught her eyes. "Oh God. W-we have to find them. Now."

John looked at his phone and quickly stashed it in his pocket. "I know where." John stumbled slightly as Mary spun quickly and pulled them away from the pair striding away. Hearing the girl gasp and say something as she nearly broke into a run. This was getting worse every second.

ooOOoo

Sherlock eased Molly into a chair and started to pace, pulling his phone out to text John.

'Room 804. Hurry.'

He noticed Molly out of the corner of his eye, curled in a ball and rocking slowly and muttering to herself. "How, how is he here, he was dead, but technically so were you, well not really, but how, and why, I, he, oh God." He moved to her side again. He almost put a hand on her shoulder, but was unsure if that or anything would help the fear he felt radiating off her.

"I don't know how Molly, but I will figure this out. I promise you that."

John and Mary burst into the room moments later. The two men exchanging looks.

Sherlock answered the unspoken question. "I don't know, John, for once I don't know."

Mary answered in barely a whisper. "I think I know."

ooOOoo

Kate gasped as she locked eyes with the woman in the lobby. It can't be, it's couldn't be. "Ana?"


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean Mary?" John asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

She didn't say a word, she just locked eyes with Sherlock.

Sherlock stalked slowly over to Mary, "John, take the car Mycroft sent, get Molly's things from her flat and go to Baker Street. Lestrade should already be there with Mrs. Hudson. We need to regroup and make sure everyone is in one place."

"No! I want to know what she means!" John looked the picture of fury and panic. "Mary?"

"I think you know what she means John, now please, get Molly out of here."

"Please, John, make sure they're safe. We'll be there." She peeled her gaze away from the man stalking toward her. "Please?"

Realization spread through his mind as John watched for a beat, unsure of what to do, he knew deep down they needed to all make sure everyone was safe, but why did his wife, the mother of his child, always have to make him so scared that she was something they should also fear.

"Yeah, right, Molly? Are you okay?" He gave her his hand and pulled her up slowly from the chair. "We need to get to someplace safer."

He steered her out of the room, looking back one more time at the two most important people in his life, squaring off.

ooOOoo

James picked up speed, trying to get Kate out of the hospital and into the waiting car as quickly as possible.

"James that was Ana. I swear! I'm not crazy, why is Ana here? She can't be, she just can't be, you took her away from me!" She started to grow more frantic and violent, shoving against him, lashing out with nails and fists as he slid her into the car. "James! You took her away from me! Why? Why is she here?!"

He grabbed both her wrists and pinned her to the seat. Forgetting about her hand as he pressed her down with all his force, trying to tame the bucking and shrieking girl. "Mary Katharine STOP! This whole thing just got FAR more complicated than I knew and I can't handle you SCREAMING AT ME RIGHT NOW! STOP!"

Kate was panting and struggling beneath him, not willing to relent this time. Ana had been her lifeline that he had ripped away. Seeing her standing there, alive, shook Kate. It reminded her of a time before and the thoughts ran roughshod though her head were making her feel sick. Her mind cried to shut down, to lock all of that out, to push those memories of a time when she almost didn't stay with this man that she had somehow grown to love. But did she love him? If Ana was still alive, was all of this just a lie?

Finally the weight of him and the pain of being pressed to the seat, his fingers digging into her, bruising her wrists, was too much and she slumped under him, returning to some sort of docility. It was eerily quiet. The sudden snap from frantic to calm, startled James, almost scared him. This was the girl he had made, someone just as turbulent as himself.

"I'm sorry Kate." He stroked the hair gently from her forehead. "We need to regroup."

ooOOoo

"How long have you known?"

"Since a little before you came back."

ooOOoo

_Ana had made herself an entirely new life. New name, new friends, new city. It was a comfortable life and she had even met and started to fall for a wonderful man. A sad, damaged wonderful man. And then her phone rang._

_She looked at the screen, a blocked call. She ignored it. _

_Thankfully, her reflexes never relaxed over the years. Her head snapped following the whoosh and sharp pop as the glass behind her shattered. She had a text._

'_Don't ignore my calls. – M"_

_It rang again._

"_I'm retired." She said quickly, before lowering the phone to end the call. The voice on the other end was sharp and clear._

"_If you hang up you will have a bullet through your head before your mobile is in your pocket." She brought the phone back up to her ear._

"_And if you keep talking I will figure out where your gun is and take him out myself. I don't like talking with a gun at my head. Call him off and we'll talk."_

_She waiting, looking at her nails, waving in the direction she was sure the sniper was watching her from. "Are we clear?"_

"_Yes, I need you, Luv."_

"_I'm retired Jim. I don't do that type of work anymore."_

"_I'm not asking you to kill anyone, I'm asking you to help me save someone."_

_She ran a hand over her face and thought about her life. Her safe, comfortable new life._

"_If you don't help me, I can, and will, take that all away from you Ana."_

"_Where do you need me?"_

ooOOoo

"I didn't have much choice. You never retire. You never get the quiet happy life with someone so wonderful when you have done the horrible things I have. I helped him take care of a girl that was all it was. He lied to me and said she was like me, and he cared about her and he wanted to save her and lied and lied. He had taken that girl and was slowly driving her insane. When I got there, she'd been beaten and raped and he'd left her in a room for God knows how long with the corpses of the men who had raped her. I tried to get her out and nearly ended up dead. That was when I knew I would never be safe. So I decided I need to take out the people who knew about my past. Magnussen first, then Moriarty. He just got here too soon."

"Is that what was on the drive? That you worked for Moriarty?"

"Part of it. I was at the pool Sherlock. I had no idea who John was when I met him, I didn't realize it until after all of this with Moriarty popped up again. He didn't know about John and me, I couldn't let him know. I love him so much Sherlock. I can't let anyone hurt him." She laughed darkly to herself. "I love a man once almost blew up. Who knew?"

"Why didn't you tell me he was alive?"

"Because he's not your problem. He's mine."


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this one took a little longer... Sometimes a story starts to run away on it's own... I needed to catch back up to it... I think I caught it...**

-

He knew Ana had returned to London. Letting her had been one of his few errors in judgment. He had an appreciation for the assassin turned nurse though that just wouldn't allow him to let her be dispatched by his standard methods. She could go back to her "retirement" after her slip with Kate and he would send for her if he ever needed her again. Fear of him would keep her silent and alive.

But now, she was a problem. No, more than a problem, an enemy. Allied with the only person in the world who could actually destroy him. Married into it. He idly stroked Kate's hair as she slept curled into his side. I needed to remove the threat before it hurt what was his again. Her existence hurt his Kate, and hurt the delicate balance between them. There was no doubt in his mind about that.

"No—please—I'm sorry—"Kate mumbled and he pulled her in tighter, trying to soothe her through another one of her nightmares.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm here." This whole thing was so much more than he had expected.

He had wanted to break her, to make her dependent on him, bend her will to him, but he hadn't expected to feel anything other than the satisfaction of accomplishment in having a devoted, if somewhat mindless, pet. What he felt for her was something alien and frightening.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He had the irritating sensation of wanting her to truly be his. Not this warped creation born of something so dark. What started as a game had turned into a true longing to keep her, and the part that truly scared him was that that may never be, and he was the reason why.

He had to take her, to possess her, he didn't want to love her. He wasn't capable of that. He didn't love, he owned. He got what he wanted, when he wanted. But watching her now, through the terrors and nightmares, the torment he had created, he felt an uneasy pang of regret for what he had done to get her to love him.

He had grown to love the calm Kate. The girl who would at first be tense but then ease into his arms and seem content. The Kate who laughed warmly and was just happy to be with him. The Kate that had asked him if he loved her. He hadn't lied when he told her he did.

He feared the manic Kate, the Kate he had had a very large part in creating, but the two were inseparable now, he had made that happen, he had snapped her mind into one just like his. A mind broken that spun from extremity to extremity on a razor's edge. A mind that had been forced into loving him.

"I love you Kate." He whispered softly into her hair, kissing her bandaged hand.

"I'm yours, James" she mumbled back in her sleep.

ooOOoo

Finally back at Baker Street, Mary tensed seeing John's face. She had gotten John to start talking to her again. He had let her past be her past, now it was here, making people they cared about bleed. She stayed close to the door as Sherlock blew past her to check on Molly.

Everyone but John watched with a bit of awe as he knelt down in front of her chair and pressed a hand to her cheek, speaking softly. "I'm so sorry, Molly. I never wanted you to get pulled into anything like this."

Molly blushed and stammered, thrown by the genuineness in the affection and tenderness he was showing her. Or maybe she was just still in shock. "I'm okay. It's okay. I swear."

"It's not okay, Molly. It's very not okay." He pulled his hand away slowly, as if coming back to earth from wherever he had just been. A place that was just him, and a scared Molly.

He rose slowly, "Right? Is everyone okay?" Snapping completely back into his hardened usual self.

John's knuckles were almost white on the arm of the chair. His eyes still boring a hole through Mary. He finally let out a dark chuckle. "No Sherlock, we're not okay."

"John – I—"Mary swallowed back her words as she looked at him again, feeling heat of his eyes, feeling a wave of nausea.

"Don't – Just – Don't." John stood quickly and left the room, blowing past her and down the stairs.

Sherlock cursed and swept out after him. "John!"

He followed his friend taking long strides to catch up to him, catching up to him on the curb. John paced like a caged animal. "Why does this keep happening?!"

Sherlock took a deep breath and sighed. "John, this isn't about you and Mary right now. We need to figure what to do here and I'm sorry if this is hard for you, but it's not about you right now. We need to keep everyone safe, keep her safe."

"So this is about Molly then? We can't take a moment to figure out what my WIFE has to do with this because we have to keep checking to see if your pathologist is still okay?"

Sherlock stalked over to his friend. His voice level, cold and scared. "John, I watched a maniac hold a gun to her head today and all I could think in that moment was that I was about to watch her die. You know me John, you know I don't get scared, but in that moment, all I could think about was how I can't lose her."

John shook his head, shaking off his anger. "You won't lose her Sherlock. You'll keep her safe, but I can't, I just can't."

"John, please, it's not safe, and I can't lose you either. I talked to Mary, it's not good, but it's something we have to process and move past so that we can figure out how to keep up safe."

"Just – Tell me—how long has she known he was alive?"


	9. Chapter 9

This one gets a little fluffy… but what can I say, the heart wandts what the heart wants.

Molly hadn't even realized she had fallen sleep. Stretching slowly and rolling her neck, it had all been a dream. The lab, the roof, his hand on her cheek so gently, she sighed and curled the pillow under her head, taking a deep breath and noting, from the warm rich scent, this wasn't her pillow.

She eased herself to sitting up in the darkened room and her focus pulled to the figure sitting ramrod straight in the chair by the window. "Sherlock?"

"You should go back to sleep." The low rumble of his voice sending a wave through her. "It's late." She took a moment to take in the room, realizing she was in his bed.

"I can, you should sleep; I can go out to the couch."

"John is currently occupying the couch." It took her a moment to process this also, her mind still a fog from the shock of everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. Sensing her questions, he continued. "Mary is in his old room and Lestrade is staying downstairs with Mrs. Hudson. Everyone is safe. You should go back to sleep."

"You can't sleep in a chair. Come to bed." She had simply meant that she would leave and let him sleep, but when she heard the low rumble of a chuckle from across the room, she realized that she'd left out that vital information and had basically just asked Sherlock to bed. "Oh, God."

"I don't need to sleep Molly, but thank you for the kind offer."

Molly once again feels the pang of her foolishness. He was laughing at her schoolgirl longing for him. Again. She didn't mean to start crying, but the tears pricked her eyes none the less. "I didn't mean it that way." The words were strangled slightly by her tears.

Sherlock felt, well, horrible. He wouldn't let anyone know, but he had been trying, trying very hard to not hurt Molly anymore. Not since she had slapped sense into him after his foray back into his addictions. He'd hurt her so much, and it wasn't until he saw the look on her face when she told him to 'just stop it', that the fissure of regret really started to tear open. They had been there all along. Buried deep in his mind. Once they opened they stretched all the way back to the Christmas where he destroyed her so easily with his words. He wasn't sure how or why it had happened, but now, when she hurt, he hurt.

He stood then and crossed silently to the bed. Molly's tears fell silently as she felt the bed dip gently behind her, not sure what to do. It was then that she felt his hand on her shoulder and she rolled over to face him.

"Wha- what are you doing?" She finally asked, ready for a comment that would shatter this silence.

"Molly, I don't need sleep, but you do." His voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "It hurts me to see you hurting." With those shy words, he pulled her gently to him, resting a hand on the back of her head as she curled against him and placing a light kiss on the top of her head and whispering, "I'm so sorry I keep hurting you."

ooOOoo

James stretched and felt the empty, cold bed under his arms, instantly starting and sitting up. "Kate?" Letting his eyes adjust to the darkened room, he saw her, curled in a tight ball in the chair by the window, her arms wrapped around her knees, her hand, clutching her gun, shaking.

"I need to know James, why is she here?"

He carefully slid off the bed and moved to her slowly. "I let her go Kate." He gently moved to put his hand on the gun, "She got to close, and I let her go." He felt the gun steady as she tightened her grip on it.

"You're not answering me. Why is she here?"

"Because I let her live." His mouth went dry and she steadied her hand and let the gun turn up toward his chest. "I liked her, she was handy to keep around."

"Do you love her?" His face twisted into a mask of confusion. "Do you love her more than me? So you sent her away, kept her at a distance so I wouldn't see the two of you, laughing at me?" Her body tensed as she uncurled her body and stood, pressing the barrel over his heart. "She was never going to save me because the two of you wanted me to there to laugh at." Her pupils were blown wide and wild.

He wrapped his hand carefully around hers on the gun, locking his eyes on hers with all the sincerity he had in his being. "Kate, have never loved anyone—"she pulled back the hammer, making his breath hitch, "except you. I mean to but I do. God, I didn't want to but I do. I wanted to hurt you, to break you, to make you want me more than anything or anyone ever, but I didn't want to love you. It hurts too much." His eyes screwed shut as she pressed the gun harder into his chest. "Jesus, I love you Kate. Only you. Only ever you. Always."

He released the breath he didn't even realize he was holding then she dropped the gun and fell into his chest, sobbing. Her body shaking with giant, ugly, wrenching tears. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry I keep hurting you."


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry it too so long, I hit a bit of a wall and needed to go play with some other characters to get back on track. It's coming to a head. Let me know what you think :)

I just realized a chuck of this part was missing... I added it back... Sorry! 

In the cold light of morning, curled uncomfortably on the couch, John felt the anger in him slowly fading. Sherlock had explained everything and as the words sunk in, he felt the rage lap at his brain. Everything had been a lie, he had forgiven her, and they had begun the slow process of figuring out how to live life as if nothing had happened. Then there it was, dark and real, looming over them and their future again. He needed time. He'd sat in Mrs. Hudson's kitchen with a tea and just let everything process before relenting and going back upstairs to sleep on the couch. Sherlock was right, all of their safety was more important than his marriage right now, but he also had a hard time not thinking that Sherlock was more concerned with Molly than anyone else.

"John." He hadn't noticed Mary sitting in his old chair until she spoke. He turned to her with a look of defeat.

"I can't—"

Mary cut him off before he shut her out again. "John, I didn't expect any of this. Truly, _any_ of it." She ran a hand over her swollen belly. "You didn't read about my past and I can never explain how happy I was that you loved and trusted me enough to let that go, and I am so very truly sorry that I couldn't keep it there." She leaned back and shifted, attempting in vain to get more comfortable in the chair under the weight of their child shifting inside her as she spoke. Out of reflex, John moved to her side quickly and helped her adjust. She let her hand linger on his. "I don't deserve you, any of this. The things I have done, I don't, I just don't, but now, this," She moved his hand with her to the smooth massiveness their child created. "I can't let anything destroy this." Her eyes widened with panic and fear. The calm, cold assassin long gone now. "We can't stay here, we have to go, John. We have to get out of here and never look back. Please, say you'll come with me, please."

John took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face before leaning in and resting his cheek on where their hands twined on her belly. "I think you're right."

ooOOoo 

James let the water run over his face as he took in the heat and steam of the shower. He needed to focus. This was supposed to be simple. He was supposed to come home, destroy Sherlock and the mousy little bint who had made his first plan a failure. Simple. He was even going to do it on the roof where it had always been fated to happen. Poetic and simple.

Sure, he knew it was not going to happen the first time, what was a game that ended so quickly, that first trip was just meant to be confirmation of what he had suspected when Sherlock had not ended up a broken, dead heap after his fall. Sherlock was attached to his little ex. The ferocity Sherlock showed on the roof confirmed that, and as James had run Kate from the roof, filled with his post mocking glee and lust, he had been eager to get to the next step.

Then Ana had to show up and be the spanner in the gears. The grit on the lens.

She was not only there, making Kate doubt everything about what they had together, she was with John Watson, married to him. This mucked things up considerably. It had been a battle of genius versus genius. Now the balance was off, it was genius versus genius and assassin. Not fair at all. He needed an assassin, someone he could trust above all others. There was only one person he trusted that much, but he dreaded that call. That was a bridge he had burned, for his own and the other's safety. No one should be that close to a hired gun. Those were mistakes he had to keep in the past. Now he had no choice. Sebastian was the only man he trusted to level the playing field. Fuck.

He wrapped himself in a towel and returned to the bedroom. Kate sat curled on the end of the bed, picking at her hand. He sighed. "Stop picking Mary Katharine or I will tie your hands behind your back. Now go take a shower, Daddy needs to make a call."

She heaved a heavy sigh and slowly plodded past him to the bathroom, pouting like a child. "It itches."

He playfully swatted her rear end and she yelped. "Good, it is meant to remind you what happens when you don't listen. Now GO!"

Once he heard the shower start, he made the call he was dreading. It only rang once. "I need you."

"Where?"

There was something comforting in the fact that no other questions were asked.

ooOOoo

Molly woke up to an empty bed. She wasn't surprised, she'd fallen asleep in Sherlock's arms and that was surprising enough to last her for years. Just the memory of his arms. God, she felt pathetic.

She pulled herself grudgingly out of bed and went out into the kitchen. The flat was unsettlingly quiet. Sherlock was in his chair, deep in his own thoughts, she couldn't hear anyone else.

"Sherlock?" She padded closer and whispered, afraid to interrupt him, but scared that something was happening.

"Yes Molly?" She was happy he was talking.

"Where is everyone?" She sat down in John's old chair, he hadn't looked up at her; he simple stared straight ahead with an intensity that could burn cities to the ground.

"I sent Lestrade and Mrs Hudson away. John and Mary left. I have no idea where. They just left. He left a note." Sherlock gave a desolate nod toward the desk and she moves quietly to read. "He's worried about Mary and the baby, it's not safe for them here. Mary has a past with Jim and the Missus." She covered her mouth to hide her soft gasp. He finally turned to her. "It's not safe for you here either Molly. I've asked my brother to arrange for you to go. I don't and can't know where, but he will make you disappear safely. It's not safe for anyone I care about here."

She crossed to him and knelt down, taking his hands in hers and noting briefly that he didn't react. He didn't pull away to even look down, his eyes were still on hers. "I don't care about safe. I'm not leaving you here. I can't leave you alone to die."

His eyes closed, "Molly, I can't let—"

She put a hand to his cheek "Sherlock, look at me." He opened his eyes again, she never expected to see the looks again. The look from the night before he was supposed to die, but it was there, painting pain over his entire expression. "I'm not going to leave you. The world could burn around us and I would never leave your side." Before she knew what she was doing, she leaned in and kissed him. He tensed a moment and then relaxed, letting his hands come to the back of her head, pulling her in closer. Letting everything go into the meeting of their lips.

They finally broke, staring at each other, flushed. Molly was afraid to speak. He broke the tension, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "Never?"

Molly smiled. "Never."

"Then it's off to set the world on fire Molly Hooper."


	11. Chapter 11

_Sorry this took so long…. Work stole my soul… I promise to try to finish this all up soon. ;)_

_ooOOoo_

_Let's go back to the very beginning. Bring the Mrs. See you there. – JM_

Sherlock smirked at the text. Who knew his worst enemy had such a streak of nostalgia.

ooOOoo

John pulled his phone out, confused and read the text. Turning to Mary, "We have to go back."

ooOOoo

"Okay, so where is the very beginning? Where are we going?" Molly tried to act like this wasn't making her stomach roll and flip like a dolphin on meth as she put on her coat.

Sherlock furrowed his brow at her, putting on his scarf, "I can't let you Molly. I can't risk that."

"The message said to bring the missus, I am assuming that was a backhand jab at me, so, like it or not, I've been invited. So—"She took a deep breath and steeled herself, "where are we going? The lab? That is where you first met him, technically."

He couldn't help but smile are her loyalty in the face of possible death. How could he ever live without her in his life? "Oh no, it goes farther back than that, I think we're headed to Roland Kerr."

ooOOoo

Mary steadied her breath, this was that she was worried would happen. She knew James moved quickly once he had a plan. "Where do we need to go?"

"I think he means the pool" his jaw was tense, biting back the surge of rage, trying to not let knowing that that had also been the first time his wife had seen him, had almost killed him, pull his focus. "It's the first place we—"he cut himself off, "Oh no, wait, we met him at Bart's in the lab, when he was Molly's gay boyfriend." He trailed off a bit, stopping to take a deep breath and rest his hand on Mary's stomach, "I don't want you to go with."

"I don't think we have much of a choice. I got a special invitation."

ooOOoo

Sherlock remembered the room they had been in, long study lab tables, a place of quiet and thought slated to be used for destruction and chaos by their very presence. Molly held his hand and walked a half pace behind him. His need to keep her safe only muddied an already murky situation, but she refused to leave him. Something in that was touching.

James didn't look up as they entered. Kate perched next to him like a bored child waiting for their mother to finish talking to an old friend. "Do you remember the little game you played here? I liked that one, such a clever and clean killer." There were two bottles on the table, both thankfully, were empty.

"I'm glad you came Molly, I wasn't sure he would let you, he doesn't trust his missus like I trust mine." He brushed Kate's hair back and she leaned into it, letting out a small purr and giggle.

Sherlock felt Molly tense, not in fear, but the tension of a predator about to pounce. He smiled to himself at the ferocity of her loyalty. He led her to the seats opposite the other couple.

"On to business."

ooOOoo

John took the lead as they walked into the dimly lit lab. It was so odd to be in a place that had always felt safe and reasonable under such thoroughly terrifying conditions. He tried to keep his mind and his hand steady as he walked, holding Mary's hand behind him and his gun level in front of them.

A voice leaked from a darkened corner. "He knew you'd get it wrong."

John felt Mary tense behind him as the man attached to the voice emerged from the shadow. "Long time no see Ana, aren't you just glowing."

She let her hand slip from John's and pressed herself to him, wishing she were not unarmed. "Sebastian. I thought you retired when Jim died?"

"No one really leaves the boss alive, you know that as well as I do. Now why don't you step away from the doctor so I can get a good look at you, it's been an age." He flicked the barrel pointed at them just enough to indicated that he wanted her to move, John refused and leveled his own.

"I don't think so, where are they? If we got it wrong, where should we be?"

Sebastian let out a low gruff chuckle, basically ignoring John, "He's feisty, I can see why you tied him down." He stepped closer, his face set in a state of menacing neutrality. "Tell the Doctor to step aside Ana, He's only here because you would have refused to come alone."

"Stop calling me that." She stepped out from behind John, but kept close enough to feel he would still be able to keep Sebastian from getting a clear shot.

"Oh, right, it's 'Mary' now, little nurse Mary, the doting wife. You must be so bored. Well, I know I am," without taking his eyes off her he shifted his gun and fired one clean shot into John's shoulder, almost the exact same spot as the previous injury.

Life felt like slow motion as John turned his head to Mary, his mouth falling open, eyes darting back and forth between her and the bloom of blood spreading from his shoulder. He staggered backward and felt her lowering him to the floor. He was sure she was talking, but all he saw was the exceedingly calm look in her eyes. That should have been soothing, but even as he slipped into shock, he knew that when his wife looked that calm, it was not safe. He tried to hold onto consciousness but failed spectacularly.

Once he was out cold, Mary rose, holding the gun she'd retrieved from her husband's hand on Sebastian.

"Sides are even now," he said coldly, dialing something on his phone and flicking the barrel of his gun again to toward the door. "A man's been shot in the pathology lab." He hung up. "Time to go."

She refused to move. "I'm not leaving him."

"There is a team headed down here as we speak and we have an appointment Ana, move." He lowered his gun as a sign of good faith.

"After you."


	12. Chapter 12

"You remember the game don't you?" James slid a bottle toward Sherlock with a smile. "Should we explain it to the ladies?"

"I didn't think you were the nostalgic type, but go ahead. I've already made my pick."

James clicked his tongue and picked up the bottles, handing them to Kate. She rolled them both lovingly in her hands before setting them on the table with a smile, one slightly closer to Molly. "But see it's not our game this time, it's theirs. So we should probably explain it to the mouse here."

"She's not playing your games, this is between you and me. She's only here because you were insistent."

"Ah, yes and I was insistent because it is their turn to play this round." The men's eyes were locked in defiance of each other, neither moved until they heard Molly squeak and Sherlock saw the gun slide from under the table in Kate's lap to point at her. "Explain the game Sherlock."

His jaw clenched as he spoke, eyes locked on Kate now. "There are two pills, one is safe, one will kill you. You have to choose. They know which is which, it's chance disguised as deduction. If you choose neither, she will shoot you in the head." Molly let out a soft cry and he finally turned to her, resting his hand gently on hers. "I'm sorry, just—"He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "take your time and pick. I promise you'll be okay."

"Touching." James sneered, glancing at the touch, "but I wouldn't make promises you can't keep. Pick a bottle Molly. Which did she offer you? Good or bad?"

Sherlock leaned to whisper to her, but stopped hearing the hammer of the gun click into place. "No cheating!" Kate nearly screamed, her eyes flicking with manic child-like anger, turning her focus to James. "They're trying to cheat!"

He stroked her cheek and tried to soothe her. "It's not really cheating, we both know the answer, it's only fair that they share their guesses, but she chooses in the end. She and you take the pill my darling."

Molly looked to her hand and then up to Sherlock's face, reaching to rest her hand on it before quickly releasing him, spinning to the table and snatching up the bottle closest to Kate.

Kate clapped, "Well done! Is it time to take our medicine now?"

"Yes, my darling. I think the ladies should stand for this, though, don't you think Sherlock? Face the class and explain your choice Miss Hooper."

Sherlock put his hand on her shoulder as she moved to stand. "Not yet. Just, think first, take your time Molly. Are you sure?"

She couldn't speak, she just put her hand over his and nodded before carefully moving it and rising to her feet and turning toward him. Kate mirrored the action with a twisted sense of glee, lowering the gun to the table and giving James a noisy kiss on the temple as she turned and stood to face him.

Slowly they each unscrewed the lid, removing the pills and raising them to their lips.

A sharp pop made everyone in the room flinch, followed closely by a second. The men were on their feet instantly.

Molly felt the pain suddenly, searching Sherlock's face, eyes wide. "Sher-"She teetered and fell forward into his arms. He whispered into her ear and started to ease her to the floor, pressing his hand firmly to her back, looking over at the others.

They still stood, Kate's face twisted in a grim mask of pain as she clung helplessly to James. His hand on her chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" He muttered as he pulled her into his arms and began to rock her.

Nothing made sense.

ooOOoo

The drive from the hospital was exceedingly tense. While the guns had been safely tucked away, there was nothing safe about riding in a car with a man like Sebastian.

Finally they pulled up to the non-descript campus, headed down a long dark series of hallways into an empty classroom.

"Why are we here Sebastian, if you're going to kill me you could have done it at my husband's side. Where are they?"

"Oh Ana, we both know if I wanted you dead I would have done it hours ago. Look across."

Sebastian slid up behind her and steered her toward the windows. She shrugged his hand off and let hers slip over the grip of her gun as she turned to him. "Don't touch me."

"Calm down, we're here for a reason, now focus, and look across."

Mary turned and finally listened to him, staring out the windows to a nearly matching room parallel. Seated at some distance from the windows were James, Kate, Sherlock and Molly. "This is what he saw that night, or close to it, the night your husband killed for a man he just met, a man he trusted, even then, more than you."

Mary raised her gun slowly. Sebastian matched her movements, both aiming across the distance. "It's not an easy or a clean shot, Ana, but he did it. Now we're going to. Boss expects only two shots. One from each. Easy job, you even get to pick."

She leveled and squared her sight, the plan forming as she adjusted, watching the movement in the room. Praying it would work, she closed her eyes for only a moment before neatly and quietly squeezing off a single shot, lowering her gun with silent calm as Sebastian took only seconds later.


	13. Chapter 13

This was not the plan. Not entirely. This was not the shot. Not the time for her to die. Kate slumped in his arms, after a few harsh breaths, her eyes rolling back. He held her there, the blood from her chest soaking into his shirt. He began to rock a little, muttering to himself at first before growing louder.

"This is NOT how this was supposed to happen!"

Sherlock stayed on the floor with Molly, whispering to her, cradling her head in his lap and he pressed his scarf to the shot in her back. He only stopped to retort.

"What WAS supposed to happen?"

"Not this." Was the only near silent reply.

ooOOoo

Sebastian ran as soon as the shot was fired, leaving Mary to stare across at the grim tableau and pray she had made the right choice. After a moment's pause, she ran herself.

ooOOoo

The team of vehicles pulled up with alarming speed. Mycroft only hoped that his brother's predicted timing was right. Men in heavy swat gear poured into the building. An emergency services team settled into stand by. A thick layer of tension spread as everyone outside waited for the all clear.

The Door sprung open with a thundering crack as the men entered the room, guns trained on James. "Put the girl down!"

He continued to sway slightly, holding the limp body in his arms, his head pressed to her shoulder. Trying to keep the pricking tears at bay. "No."

Sherlock's head snapped up. "We need medical help. Now!"

The lead spoke into the handset on his shoulder. "Clear, send them in. Now, we need you to put the girl down and step back."

No words were penetrating now. He was lost in a silent moment with Kate. His Kate. His poor, damaged, dead Kate. Whispering to her, barely audible. "I'm so sorry, Kate. This isn't what was supposed to happen. Please don't leave."

The team of emergency techs appeared, rushing to Molly and moving in toward Kate. "Sir," They were not as aggressive, ignoring the fact that this man was a psychopath and only caring to check the slumped and bleeding girl in his arms. He flinched as one very gently touched his shoulder. "Sir, you need to let her go so we can check her."

Sherlock paced for a moment behind the techs tending to Molly, trying to sort the jargon they were spewing to tell if she would be okay. Wishing he remembered more from when he had been shot.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Guns cocked and eyes focused with sharp intensity on James as he screamed at the tech who was trying to get Kate from his embrace. The silence was broken by Sherlock after it had grown a few second past uncomfortable.

"Jim, the only chance she has is if you let them look at her." He wasn't sure why he felt the sudden need to be the calm voice of reason for his enemy, other than the look of sheer defeat and sadness on James' face. "Just, let her go."

With one final kiss to the top of her head, James let Kate's body fall into the arms of the waiting tech, who lowered her carefully to the floor and began to check for any signs of life.

Before he could take a step, a gun was to the back of his head. "Step back and get on your knees. Hands on your head." He complied with no fight. Watching with a now cool detachment as the tech checked over Kate.

They moved to get Sherlock and Molly from the room quickly once they had James subdued. Sherlock gave one last glance back to the girl and the man who loved her, before briskly following the back board carrying the woman he had come to realize he loved.

James was cuffed now and being hauled to his feet, steered by the arms to the door. His entire demeanor having shifted to one of cold, dark emptiness. They had him out the door as he heard the tech scramble and call for more assistance, only catching the words. "May have a chance, hurry!"

ooOOoo

Outside, Molly was loaded with alarming speed into the back of the waiting ambulance. Sherlock moved to join her and met a halting hand. "You'll have to follow, Sir, we need to tend to her." Before he could protest, Lestrade was next to him, guiding him slowly away from the tech who had been very clearly about to receive a verbal lashing of epic proportions for trying to stop him from staying with Molly.

"We'll be right behind her," his friend soothed, "come on."

As they sped away, James was brought out under heavy guard, having snapped out of his catatonia at hearing there 'may be a chance'.

In a voice like the devil only slightly more menacing, James threatened officers. "You can continue to pretend you have me restrained and helpless, and end up in pieces around London by sunrise, or you can let me go back inside and check on my wife."

Mycroft stepped forward then, keeping at least one trained professional between himself and James. "Mr. Moriarty, you know we can't let you leave custody, kindly stop harassing these men. Your wife is being attended to by some of the finest emergency staff in London and we will keep you abreast of any change. Now come along, we have some things to discuss."

James was led to a sleek black car and corralled in with three of the heavily armed agents. Mycroft slid into on the seat opposite once the man was adequately restrained.

"Who shot Mary Katharine and Miss Hopper?"

"That's exactly what I would LOVE to know."


End file.
